Finding my north star, figuring out what color my parachute is, discovering my Italy, following my bliss, being the best me I can be…..and enjoying the journey

This Day

This day, this rainy cold day, lends itself to laziness. It inspires me to do nothing much more than stay in my pajamas until well after noon, finding warmth under a blanket that travels with me from room to room. It urges me to drain the coffee pot slowly but surely, looking for that buzz of caffeine. It wants me to sit back and write nary a word, telling me that I have nothing to say. This is an attempt to prove it wrong.

This day, this 14th of February, lends itself to thoughts of grandeur. It gives us images of hearts and flowers and expressions of love. It asks us to think about the people that mean the most to us; it asks us to pull them close. This day tells us to pick up the phone even when we don’t feel like talking. It’s a holiday that gets us out of no obligations, one that refuses to be recognized by the post offices or schools, yet makes us feel obligations aplenty. Tell them that you love them, make them feel desired…smile….gush…send a card wrapped in red or pink envelopes.

This month is a hated one, the word spoken with despair. February. It’s even hard to spell…and even more difficult to make sense of. It’s a month of cold, a short month that asserts itself to the barrier before spring. If it’s a bad one, be rest assured that it’s only 28 days. But this year, we don’t get a break.

This day, this holiday, this month, are all part of the story. When the Buddhists talk about living in the present, this is what they are talking about. It’s about pushing aside this need to push this time aside. It’s about recognizing the journey for what it is; it’s a path that winds down Februarys before it gets to Junes.

Embrace the red, fuzzy blanket that follows you from room to room and turn up the thermostat a little bit more. Pick up that phone. Smile at the pink envelope that sits on your counter. Take it from your dog, who has slept on the couch all day, that staying indoors is quite acceptable. See your February, your rainy Tuesday, your Valentine’s Day for what it is instead of what it isn’t.